Diesel power
Thread Starter
Joined: 05-16-2007
Posts: 4
From: uk
Diesel power
until the diesel engine is fitted to the HHR you will always be unhappy with either LOW power or fit a larger petrol engine and complain of LOW MPG.
this happened with the PT cruiser
it started with a 1600cc petrol then a 2litre petrol then a 2.4 petrol then a 2.4 turbo petrol all of which had low MPG.
THEN they fitted a 2.2 diesel Turbo (European version) and low and behold it had POWER and gave an average of 38mpg, such was the difference the stayhard petrol heads started to buy the new DIESEL version, or importing the 2.4 turbo petrol high output LHD.
The diesels of today DONT smell, are NOT as noisy as they used to be, yet give GOOD power for less fuel against the petrol engine.
But there again good old USA want BIG BIG BIG engines YET want BIG MPG as well (oil/fuel price crisis)
Fit a diesel engine , a GOOD diesel engine, dont spend millions of $$$$$ developing a suitable engine or makkle up an old existing diesel engine.
GRIT your teeth, save your money and buy in a GOOD well known engine that delivers what the HHR needs POWER and ECONOMY (Mercedes, Honda, GM ) to name a few.
are you really LISTENING or are you going to carry on making STUPID mistakes for the sake of "THE COMPANIES " name and continue manufacturing a vehicle that CANNOT compete within the motoring market place.
GM Diesel engines in the UK are
Vauxhall Frontera 2.2 Diesel Turbo
Signum 1.9 " "
signum 3.0 v6 Diesel turbo
Vectra 2.0 diesel turbo
vectra 1.7 " "
all these engines are real fliers
General Motors owns:
-Buick
-Cadillac
-Chevrolet
-Daewoo (GM owns 44%)
-Fiat (GM has decided to divorce itself from Fiat as of Feb '05, but will retain 10% ownership.)
-GMC
-Holden
-Hummer
-Oldsmobile (brand discontinued)
-Opel
-Pontiac
-Saab
-Saturn
-Suzuki (2.5%, from 20%)
-Vauxhall
so WHERE is the problem getting a GOOD diesel engine for the HHR?????????
maybe GM think you Americans are ALL stupid and wont take the initative and buy a quick diesel HHR
BMW have diesel engines now , the same as Jaguar or Saab so why NOT an HHR (makes sense to me.
We are unlucky in the UK you cant buy an HHR for love nor money (unless you import) and the diesel HHR I think would sell well over here
Me WANTS one NOW!!!!! so SORT IT LOL
this happened with the PT cruiser
it started with a 1600cc petrol then a 2litre petrol then a 2.4 petrol then a 2.4 turbo petrol all of which had low MPG.
THEN they fitted a 2.2 diesel Turbo (European version) and low and behold it had POWER and gave an average of 38mpg, such was the difference the stayhard petrol heads started to buy the new DIESEL version, or importing the 2.4 turbo petrol high output LHD.
The diesels of today DONT smell, are NOT as noisy as they used to be, yet give GOOD power for less fuel against the petrol engine.
But there again good old USA want BIG BIG BIG engines YET want BIG MPG as well (oil/fuel price crisis)
Fit a diesel engine , a GOOD diesel engine, dont spend millions of $$$$$ developing a suitable engine or makkle up an old existing diesel engine.
GRIT your teeth, save your money and buy in a GOOD well known engine that delivers what the HHR needs POWER and ECONOMY (Mercedes, Honda, GM ) to name a few.
are you really LISTENING or are you going to carry on making STUPID mistakes for the sake of "THE COMPANIES " name and continue manufacturing a vehicle that CANNOT compete within the motoring market place.
GM Diesel engines in the UK are
Vauxhall Frontera 2.2 Diesel Turbo
Signum 1.9 " "
signum 3.0 v6 Diesel turbo
Vectra 2.0 diesel turbo
vectra 1.7 " "
all these engines are real fliers
General Motors owns:
-Buick
-Cadillac
-Chevrolet
-Daewoo (GM owns 44%)
-Fiat (GM has decided to divorce itself from Fiat as of Feb '05, but will retain 10% ownership.)
-GMC
-Holden
-Hummer
-Oldsmobile (brand discontinued)
-Opel
-Pontiac
-Saab
-Saturn
-Suzuki (2.5%, from 20%)
-Vauxhall
so WHERE is the problem getting a GOOD diesel engine for the HHR?????????
maybe GM think you Americans are ALL stupid and wont take the initative and buy a quick diesel HHR
BMW have diesel engines now , the same as Jaguar or Saab so why NOT an HHR (makes sense to me.
We are unlucky in the UK you cant buy an HHR for love nor money (unless you import) and the diesel HHR I think would sell well over here
Me WANTS one NOW!!!!! so SORT IT LOL
Yes,diesels are more fuel efficient in many cases...but they can also be more trouble.
Senior Member
Joined: 10-19-2005
Posts: 20,687
From: Miami
The HHR should be Europe soon!
Member
Joined: 02-13-2007
Posts: 84
From: Ticonderoga, NY
Unfortunately there seems to be a stigma attached to diesel engines in this country. Many Americans think of them as smelly, noisy and slow. Some of this comes from GM's attempt in the '70s to convert a gas 350ci engine to diesel and it was awful. These days, (I may be mistaken), I also believe that with the sulpher that was in our diesel fuel it would have been extremely difficult for auto makers to meet emission standards. Now that we have mandated low sulpher diesel fuel, I think we will start seeing more diesel engines available. I would buy a turbo diesel HHR in a heartbeat. My 7500 lb Dodge Ram with 5.9 liter Cummins turbo diesel easily gets 19-20 mpg. It would seem that a turbo diesel in the 2.2 liter area with a vehicle weight of around 3,000 lbs should be able to achieve 50 mpg.
Banned
Joined: 10-24-2006
Posts: 1,761
From: The Show-Me State
Most European diesel engines have to be heavily modified to be emissions certified for use in the US. There is no 2007 Volkswagen TDI engine--only a 2006 and a new 2008 model that's been significantly redesigned for the US market.
We have stricter emissions and particulate laws over here and the government and oil companies do not want consumer automobiles competing with the airline, trucking, utility, and railroad industries for lower grade fuels.
Diesel engines can be very efficient, yet they do require more maintenance that Americans are not used to having done and they simply do not meet the "get up and go drive 50 miles" lifestyle of most Americans. If I'm up in Omaha in the middle of winter, I have a hard enough time starting a gasoline-powered engine, much less waiting for glow plugs to warm up a small diesel.
The Olds 350 diesel is a perfect example. Contrary to popular opinion and conjecture, it was NOT based on the Chevy 350 V8 and did not share a single part with that gasoline engine. Most of the Olds engines failed because the owners did not follow proper maintenance or operating procedures and more than a few failed because their owners tried using gasoline or even off-road kerosene in the engines.
It just goes to show that you have to build up a following in America and train owners on the proper usage and maintenance of any new drivetrain. Mazda didn't do this and the Wankel engine was almost decimated in North America. Toyota and Honda played it smart by limiting the market penetration of the hybrid cars until people understood how the system works and the special needs of a battery-based powertrain. Someday, diesel technology may exceed gasoline in the US, but I'm betting on fuel-cell technology first.
We have stricter emissions and particulate laws over here and the government and oil companies do not want consumer automobiles competing with the airline, trucking, utility, and railroad industries for lower grade fuels.
Diesel engines can be very efficient, yet they do require more maintenance that Americans are not used to having done and they simply do not meet the "get up and go drive 50 miles" lifestyle of most Americans. If I'm up in Omaha in the middle of winter, I have a hard enough time starting a gasoline-powered engine, much less waiting for glow plugs to warm up a small diesel.
The Olds 350 diesel is a perfect example. Contrary to popular opinion and conjecture, it was NOT based on the Chevy 350 V8 and did not share a single part with that gasoline engine. Most of the Olds engines failed because the owners did not follow proper maintenance or operating procedures and more than a few failed because their owners tried using gasoline or even off-road kerosene in the engines.
It just goes to show that you have to build up a following in America and train owners on the proper usage and maintenance of any new drivetrain. Mazda didn't do this and the Wankel engine was almost decimated in North America. Toyota and Honda played it smart by limiting the market penetration of the hybrid cars until people understood how the system works and the special needs of a battery-based powertrain. Someday, diesel technology may exceed gasoline in the US, but I'm betting on fuel-cell technology first.
Thread Starter
Joined: 05-16-2007
Posts: 4
From: uk
Reply to Honestblues
"maybe GM think you Americans are ALL stupid" This was NOT a personal derogatory comment against Americans but a sarcastic slight at GM for NOT considering using a good diesel in the "very nice " HHR ,I think you looked at the comment and didnt see it in the context it was meant (easy done) I run a PT cruiser 2.2 CRD Turbo (service interval every 12,000 miles) at the moment but would change it in a jiff if a RHD diesel HHR was available in Europe, now Chrysler has been sold on.
I have just got back from Las Vegas where there was more HHRs than PT Cruisers being driven, so maybe there is even more people who prefer retro vehicle shape, although I think the guy that designed the PT Cruiser also had a hand in the HHR planning as well?????????
"maybe GM think you Americans are ALL stupid" This was NOT a personal derogatory comment against Americans but a sarcastic slight at GM for NOT considering using a good diesel in the "very nice " HHR ,I think you looked at the comment and didnt see it in the context it was meant (easy done) I run a PT cruiser 2.2 CRD Turbo (service interval every 12,000 miles) at the moment but would change it in a jiff if a RHD diesel HHR was available in Europe, now Chrysler has been sold on.
I have just got back from Las Vegas where there was more HHRs than PT Cruisers being driven, so maybe there is even more people who prefer retro vehicle shape, although I think the guy that designed the PT Cruiser also had a hand in the HHR planning as well?????????
